Toxic chemicals are all around us, in our homes, cars, work, and even supermarket. It is our job to limit the amount of toxic chemicals that enters our body. Exposure is the term for how toxic chemicals can enter our bodies. Exposure to toxic chemicals can occur through three ways, ingestion, inhalation, and absorption.

Chemicals are ingested through eating items that have chemicals on them. One common way toxic chemicals are ingested is through not adequately washing fruits and vegetables before eating. Inhalation occurs through breathing in chemicals. Chemicals can become suspended in the air and easily breathed in, the smaller the chemicals the deeper in the lung the chemical can go and the more harm they can cause. We breathe in toxic chemicals all day with the use of aerosol or spray cans. Absorption can occur when toxic chemicals come in contact with our skin. Our skin is a great barrier, but chemicals are still able to penetrate through skin or easily enter through cuts on our skin.

Cleaning is not something most of us enjoy, but it is part of life. Cleaning can expose us to very toxic chemicals found in common cleaning supplies sold in stores. When we clean we are exposed to chemicals through ingestion, inhalation, and absorption. Ingestion can occur by spraying toxic chemicals near food that is out on the counter. Inhalation through breathing after Windex has been sprayed. Absorption can occur when we are wiping anything down with toxic chemicals and they touch our skin.

To reduce the toxic chemicals we are exposed to and create healthy homes, here are some non-toxic recipes to use to clean our homes.

These recipes are effective, smell good, cost less than commercial products, and don’t pollute the indoor air. I have tried all of the recipes and was amazed at how well they worked and how clean our apartment smelled. There was no toxic smell or over powering smell of cleaning agents. These recipes are best when made fresh each time in small batches. Do not mix these recipes with other chemicals.

The following recipes use the various combinations of six basic ingredients: baking soda, vinegar, salt, liquid castile soap, club soda, and water. More than likely you will already have most of them in your cupboards and if not they can easily be bought at the grocery store. Enjoy!

Drain Cleaner:
½ cup baking soda
½ cup vinegar
Boiling water

Pour the baking soda down the drain first, then vinegar. Let it fizz a few minutes than pour a tea kettle full of boiling water down the drain. Do NOT use after using commercial drain cleaner. If this does not release the clog try using a plunger or mechanical snake.

Oven Cleaner:
¼ cup baking soda
2 tablespoon salt
hot water

Remove charred spills with a non-metallic bristle brush. Mix baking soda, salt, and enough hot water to make a paste. Apply to oven surfaces and let stand a few minutes or over night. Scrub off with non-metallic scouring pad and water. Keep paste off oven wires and heating elements. Do not use on self-cleaning ovens.

All-Purpose Cleaner:
1 2/3 cup baking soda
½ cup liquid castile soap (Can be found in supermarkets or drug stores)
½ cup water
2 tablespoons vinegar
16 oz bottle

Mix baking soda and liquid soap with fork in bowl. Add water. Add vinegar last. Pour into squeeze bottle: if it is too thick, add more water. Shake well. Squirt in tub, sink, toilet, counter, etc. Scrub and rinse.

Scouring Powder:
Baking soda
Liquid castile soap

Baking soda can be used in place of your scouring powder. First, wet area you want to clean. Then sprinkle baking soda on and rube with a wet rag. Add a little soap to the rag for more cleaning power. Rinse well. For toilets, sprinkling baking soda into bowl, add a few drops of castile soap, then scrub.

Mirror and Window Cleaner:
Club soda
Spray bottle

Put club soda into spray bottle. Spray on surface. Rub with lint-free cloth (such as a cloth diaper) or squeegee.

Adapted from: Thurston County Hazardous Waste Program

This entry was posted on Friday, February 23rd, 2007 at 1:38 pm and is filed under Environment, General, Green/Sustainable, One/Change tips, Products, Recipes, educational. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.